Dual-rotation transfer-bearing thrust plate



`lune 20,Y 1950 J. E. ANDERSON .DUAL-Rennen TRANSFER-BEARING 'mRUST 'PLATE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March `20, `1947 a INVENTOR zfo E5 y72dgrs0az ATTORNEY June 20, 1950 ...1. E; ANDERSON DUAL-ROTATION TRANSFER-BEARING THRUST PLATE Filed March 2o, 194?v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Jo/: E'. Hnerson m /wl w N /////////////,v\ x '4X ATTORNEY Patented June 20, 1950 DnAnnoTe'rioN "rneuve-Fiera;-izlirnnrjnozf4 .lohn Anderson@ortlandre.Genn-,fossielen t@ Ulnli-ted@` Aircraft. Qorp oraatarp;K7 `East lantfonrly Conn., a corporation, of Delaware.

. applicatieamammo, 19m-tscreen@-'leseeeL This; invention-v, relates', to motion. transferring mechanism and; particularly to,v mechanism; `for-y ytrarflsfe.rring;motism; from one of twofcoaxial op-4 pgosiftely` rotatingI aeronauticalpropellers;to the other for actuatingv propeller pitch control means. Attemptsihavey been made vto control `the "pitchv oirtheloutboard propeller sofi` a pair of coaxial oppositely rotatingpropellers by utilizing a transfer.; bearing'` between. thel two propellers which` in` es`4` sence: was;` an; ordinary ball; bearings.,l Thev ,inner nace orfthefbearing isamovedgaxiallyfby mechanism which may; beassociated with, the inboard propellen sogas tgofmovethegonter r,ace o f the;bearing through; the interposed: balls. ll/Iovement` of the, outer-f race movesmeohanism associated with the outboardpropeller4 to control. the., propellerwpitch- Where the entire pitch; changing; force yvvasg transmitted through the t bearings,- it was;v grnind` dia cult; to` l-ubricate, the bearing.;L and Where servo@ motors.; wereA used. andi only;` small: foroesr transe mitted: fromfone; propeller toanothen. thisftyne: of; bearing.. is .impractica-t1.v because of.; the lfriction ref sisting a-Xialmovement., I; have@ f ourldythat, by mounting; afthrust; plate Solas; torotatewith one ofY the: rronellers and.; allowsnez the movable; ele.- ment in. theotner propeller to slidearound the; plate fandvthenfmountne thelthrust plate. on a sleeve sunnortedlorr antiffrotion bearings to` reduce the friction; or' axial movement,A a satis? feotorvtransfer mechanism hernie-de, which.;

will. transfer the motionI from one v.propeller to4 the other-'eren when the, .foreeffromeaon propeller is applied along y a single; longitudinal axis 'eccentric to the axis of rotation Qthepnopeller.

v Anlobject off th-isinventioni isdlto providfega; simple and ecent.; m-echanismgfor; transferring motion.. from one propellerfto anotherfnof; a pairI of'opposi-tem rotating coaxial;y propellers,L f.

Another object of this invention` is; a mecha?. niszngfor actuating an eccentrcayll5p` mounted controlvalveor one'v propeller, of; a,` pair ofconcentiic; opposltelv rotating propellersxby l themotion .off al similar eccentrically mounted control valveI 0f theother prope11er. V

A further oloieot `ot. `tilts-,'.ventolais.. thefeiiro.-4

e Claims. (.01. 17951355.28); 1

inventibnewill betrappen-ent from thexspecication andrclalinsiaerrdrfnomrtlie; accompanying drawings vehicles illustrate: what; is now. considered to be a. preterrefh embodiment; of; the; invention;

t `In theseidrawingsl. t t

- 13. isial. sideifeleyation: ofgtwo concentric op- 'rotating propellersswitlra;portion,broken tonshow ther thmisti transfer mechanism. in. sections.

2;.is: aesection, taken; on the linesvv2v-2 of Figa 1'..V

. 3" isfr ai. section; taken.; on; the.. lines.` 32e-3l, of:

- Y; 5; isradetaileda enlargedi sectiontaken. on` tliellines 5*-.51 of Fie,..4-..

6 isfaatolopglanrview ofA al. portion of the transfen1thrust.;ring; assembly: with surrounding; mechanism.; removed. and.: taken generally on., the` lines-1 6-,..6; of.; Eig; 4:.;

As herein shown, Fig.. 1 illustrates thev general assemrlllyrin?whicl'l.` ankinboard propeller I0; and-a concentric outboard propeller' I,2 are mounted on oppositel-n rota-ting; coaxial: shafts;` driven by, theAk usuale engine-s (not shown), The propellers; are,- mounted on: telesooped shafts; inboand; propeller, hilf' beirleemounted on` theouterf shaft (not shown) and outboard propeller I2 beingmountedgonzim L nerr shaft .141; 'Ehesegshaftamay be driven inlop- `l maya bavariedqduringeoperation;of the: propeller.;

' orders `taz inaintaina a pre-fleternarinedi latin;-beiy mi inboardlpropellerfl vision-.of e thrust nletehetween two.- oppostely.;

`nolaat'iing-gconcentridpropellersfvl/liiclfiinayybefread;v ilyV` movable by'.` an t eocentrically applied. force-l` ineaelanropellen withoutnbndinezitheibeerine under: the'.` eccentricloads. f 1` n A; furtherfxobieot-,ot tlflis` inrentien. is an proved. bearino. for n Supporting@ the;` thrust plate4 between two oppositely?` rotating. propel1ers andV .including enllimerov @ball et "ninaineensJ 593 snondngrvalve irl-ftheA outboard'lpropeller; whichl` tween ltheapi-tch.:oi the two -prop'ellerszor to; adjust. the pitch of the outboard. propeller;v itahasi been;`

inunda convenient.: tottransrer motion` from. the -toi Ethefoutboard: propellerv l 2*..

.In the: assemblylsliowng: they inboard propeller` Mleutilizea avait/1e; having.:y af follow-up connection.. witln the? bladesofor; controlling the. lovvy ofrr oil ton and.` from; pitcheclranginga. mechanism for: ad-v t l 4@ justine: the propeller pitch, This yvalt/1a: has' an:

extension.v 1.6.:4 carriedrby. and rotatable. with the; inboardr. propeller. A1. corresponding valve stem 243i ealriednbyf; and' rotatable with. the outboard propeller: IZrfis'; secured: tm orf actuates apporre'-L valvellasrarsimilar follbvwuprconnection With;th'e= bladesrofthey outboard: propeller` fory controlling theirvnitche u The zdetailsrofrtnez; pitcnlchaneing.: mechanisme i and `other ,meets-Tian dvantageSevQatlleg 55; allier-.notament .oftl tliepresente inventionrands are therefore not shown in detail. It is believed sufficient to show only the connections to the pitch changing mechanism which are moved to eect the pitch changing movements of the blades. The propellers which have been utilized for the purpose of explaining this invention are shown in more detail in Martin application Serial No. 609,843 for Propeller controls, filed August 9, 1945 to which reference may be made vfor a more detailed explanation of the propellers and the pitch changing mechanism therefor.. In the modification disclosed, the valve stem is spring pressed toward the thrust plate I8, and valve stem I6 is mechanically or hydraulically actuated to overcome the spring pressure and move the thrust plate and valve stem 26 toward the right to change the blade pitch in one direction or to oder a sufficiently small resistance to movement so that it may be moved to theleit under the eifects of the spring pressure applied to valve stem 20 to a change the blade pitch in the other direction. A button 22 which may be of friction reducing material such as graphite, bronze or cast iron, in the end of valve stem 2l) slides around the periphery of the thrust plate I8 and is lubricated in any suitable manner such as oil supplied through passages in the button from the oil pressure supply of the pitch changing mechanism of the outboard propeller.

An extension 24 of the outboard propeller hub surrounding shaft I4, extends in an inboard direction and bears on the usual inboard centering cone 26 which in turn butts against a sleeve 28 positioned in a Well-known manner against a shoulder (not shown) on the shaft I4. A sleeve 30 surrounds the inboaid` end of the hub extension 24 and is pinned in position on the hub extension by a pin 32. If desired, this pin may be the radially extending portion of a snap ring engaged in depression 34. A cam` member 36,v utilized, in the disclosed modification, for actuating pumps to supply fluid under pressure to the pitch changing mechanism (not shown in the present application) is mounted to rotate relative to extension 24 on roller bearings 38 and is held against axial movement by means of shoes 48, vpreferably ofv bronze, which are fitted into apertures in the cam member 36 and extend into a groove 42 in sleevel 30.

As shown in Fig. 4, three bronze V'shoes are provided and it will be noted that they are shaped so that they can be slid through apertures in cam 36 and into the groove 42 in sleeve 30. During operation these shoes are lcarried by the cam 36 and slide around in groove 42 thus permitting relative rotation but preventing relative axial movement between the members associated with shaft I4 and the cam 36.

A bearing comprising aninner sleeve 44, a ball retaining sleeve 46` and an outer sleeve 48 surrounds the inboard end of the cam 36. The inner sleeve 44 holds shoes 40 against radial displacement. Ball retainer 46 is provided with holes only slightly-larger than, and shaped to retain therein, ball hearing elements 50 and 52 received therein and thus holds ball bearing 50, 52 in position between the inner and outer races formed by sleeves 44 and 48. These balls roll in corresponding axially extending grooves 54 and 56- in .the inner and outer sleeves 44 and 48 respectively. An extension 58 of the hub of the inboard propeller I0, which also forms a portion of an oil guard between the two propellers, acts tosupport the inbo'ard end of the'inner sleeve 44.

' A drivinglugtuissecuredto the inboard endf of the cam 36 by means of screws 62 and a dowel 64. Rotation of the outboard kpropeller and its pumping mechanism with respect to cam 36 tends to drag the cam 36 along with it and does so until driving lug 60 comes in contact with a projection 66, extending inwardly from the hub extension 58 into `the-path of the driving lug 60. Thereafter cam`36 is driven by and rotated with the inboard propeller while the outboard propeller tends to rotate the cam in the opposite direction.

Driving lug 68 extends through a closely fitting aperture in the inner sleeve 44 and thus acts to position sleeve 44 on cam 36 and drive that sleeve with the inboard propeller. The driving lug 60 extends through one of a series of equally spaced weight reducing apertures 68 and 'IIJ in the outer sleeve 48 and ball retaining sleeve 46 respectively. This aperture provides suicient clearance for axial movement of sleeves 46 and 48 without interference With lug 60.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that a plurality of bearing elements are provided around the peripheryv of the bearing sleeves 44, four such groups being shown in Fig. 4. Between each group of bearing elements the inner race or sleeve 44 and the outer sleeve 48 are provided with corresponding rack gear teeth indicated at I2 and 'I4 respectively. A gear 'I6 meshes with these sets of corresponding rack gear vteeth and is rotatably mounted on a pin 'I8 retained in the ball retainer 46.' vThis gearing insures that the bearings and the retainer` willalways be centrally axially positioned between the' inner sleeve 44 and outer sleeve 48 and causes the ball retainer to move in the same direction,l but only half the distance, that one sleeve moves with respect to the other.

From the structure described, it will be apparent that means have been provided for mounting an inter-propeller thrust plate for rotation With the inboard component of a pair of oppositely rotating coaxial propellers. The thrust plate has also been mounted'onanti-friction bearings for movement along the axis of rotation of the propeller so that movement of valve stem extension I 6 will impart axial movement to thrust plate I8 and thus impart axial lmovement to the valve stem 28 sliding on vthe periphery of the thrust plate. It will be notedthat although only one valve stem is shown'in each propeller, which will result in an eccentric loading on the thrust plate especially when the valves are at diametrically opposite positions, the spaced bearing construc- 'tion will absorb the eccentric loading without excessive lost motion or friction.

Thrust plate I8 is mounted on and carried by outer sleeve 48 and is secured thereto in any desired manner, such as'by riveting.

It is to be understood. that the invention is not limited to` the specific' embodiment herein illustrated and described, `but may be used in other ways without departure from its spirit as defined by the -following claims.

I claim: I

1. A support for an inter-propeller thrust transfer lplate' located between two oppositely rotating coaxial propellers comprising a pair of telescoping sleeves arranged coaxially with said propellers, means forsupporting said sleeves on one of said propeller's, a plurality of circumferentially spaced groups of axially vspaced bearing elements connecting said sleeves and located in axially extending grooves'in adjacent surfaces of saidfsleeves; a thrust plate carried by one of said sleeves,"'thrust-exerting lrnean's carried by each propeller 'and bearingl onsaid plate', and means for securing said other sleeveto one of said propellers against axiall movementwith respect to said one propeller. A,

2. A support as claimed in claim 1 in' which means are provided for positively driving said i other sleeve from one of said propellers.

`3. A device as claimedin claim 2 including la bearing retainer coaxially with and intermediate said sleeves, means for retaining said bearing elements in said retainer, an axially extending gear rack on adjacent surfaces of each sleeve, a pinion gear meshing withsaid racks and journalled in said retainer.

4. A support for an inter-propeller thrust transfer plate located between two oppositely rotating coaxial propeller hubs, comprising a pair of telescoping sleeves arranged coaxially `with said propeller hubs,` bearing means between one of said sleeves and one of said propeller hubs for rotatably supporting said sleeve with respect to said propeller hub, a plurality of circumferentially spaced groups of axially spaced bearing elements `arranged between said sleeves in axially extending grooves in said sleeves, a thrust plate carried by the other of said sleeves, thrust ex` erting means carried by each propeller hub and bearing on said plate, and means for securing said one sleeve to one of saidpropellersagainst axial movement with respect to said one propel- 5. A support for` an inter-propeller thrust transfer plate located between two oppositely rotating coaxial propellers comprising three telescoping sleeves arranged coaxially with said propellers and comprising two bearing sleeves and an intermediate retainer sleeve, a plurality of circumferentially spaced groups of axially spaced bearing elements extending radially through said retainer but held against substantial axial movement with respect to said retainer said elements -1 connecting said bearing sleeves and arranged in axially extending grooves in said sleeves, an axially extending gear rack carried by each bearing sleeve, a pinion journalled said retainer and meshing with both of said racks, a thrust plate carried by one of said bearing sleeves and means connecting said other bearing sleeve and one of said propellers for holding said other bearing sleeve against axial movement with respect to said one propeller.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which bearing means are provided for rotatably mounting said thrust plate with respect to one of said propellers.

'7. Mechanism for transferring motion from one of two coaxial oppositely rotating propellers to the other comprising a carriage, a thrust plate supported on the carriage, and comprising a disc arranged coaxially with said propellers, ball bearing grooves in said carriage extending parallel with the axis of rotation of said propellers, a coaxial bearing sleeve carried by one of said propellers, corresponding grooves in said coaxial 8. In combination with one propeller mounted to rotate in one direction and having a control valve element located at one side of the axis of rotation of said propeller, another propel1er mounted to rotate in the opposite direction on a concentric axis and'having another control valve element located at one sideof the axis of rotations of said other propeller, means for transferring motion from one valve element tothe other valve element while the propellers are rotating comprising a sleeve rotatably mounted on and concentric with said one propeller, means for holding said sleeve against axial movement with respect to said one propeller, a second sleeve surrounding said rst-mentioned sleeve, a plurality of rows of anti-friction `bearing elements arranged in grooves in said sleeves extending longitudinally of said axis and supporting'said second sleeve on said rst mentioned sleeve, a thrust plate comprising a disc carried` by said second sleeve, the control valve element of said one propeller bearing on one side of said thrust plate and the control valve element of said other prol peller bearing on the other side of said thrust t Valve element located at one side of the axis ofV rotation of said propeller, another propeller mounted to rotate in the opposite direction on a concentric axis and having another control valve element located at one side of the axis of rotation of said other propeller, means for'transferring motion from one valve element to the other valve element while the propellers are rotating comprising a sleeve supported concentric with said propellers, means for driving said sleeve from and with one of said propellers, and means for holding said sleeve against axial movement, a second sleeve surrounding said rst-mentioned sleeve, a plurality of rows of anti-friction bearing elements arranged in grooves in said sleeves extending longitudinally of said axis and supporting said second sleeve on said first mentioned sleeve, a third sleeve located intermediate said two aforementioned sleeves, means for retaining said bearing elements in said third sleeve, and means for axially centralizing said third sleeve and its retained bearing elements with respect to said two sleeves, a thrust plate comprising a disc arranged coaxial with said propellers, carried by said second sleeve, the control valve element of said one propeller bearing on one side of said thrust plate and the control valve element of said other propeller bearing on the other side of said thrust plate.

JOHN E. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,123,057 Martin July 5, 1938 2,341,730 McNab Feb. 15, 1944 2,362,444 Blanchard et al. `Nov..14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,291 `Great Britain July 6, 1942 

